August 2014 - NYC Convention Edition
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL by Brother Toti Ayo Greetings Brothers, Sisters and all!
“ACN A, THE LEGA CY CONTINUES . . ..” ” CNA, LEGACY by Bro. Dony Rondilla New York, the “Big APO”, is the central place to be this Labor Day weekend. ACNA returns to its East Coast root with New York hosting the 12th ACNA Biennial Convention. It was 22 years ago when the 1st ACNA Convention took place in New Jersey that started the ACNA legacy. It never ceases to amaze me how, thru the years; all these Alumni Associations continue to support and stand by ACNA, a testament to ACNA’s leadership. What makes ACNA special? Every year, newly formed alumni associations want to be part ACNA. Despite all the distracters who have continually maligned ACNA, alumni associations continue to rally behind an organizational structure that is relevant. In its two decades of existence, ACNA continues to draw alumni associations to its fold simply because it works. Despite ACNA’s growth and successes, there is a concern that ACNA needs to work on improving the relationships between its alumni association members. The reality is that some alumni association members were born out of discord and divisiveness between members in the same group. Personality clashes often results in formation of new groups. These are the same groups that are now under the ACNA umbrella. We have to be more tolerant and less stubborn so that our APO bond will not stretch thin and frayed on the edges. Our brotherhood should not diminish and a sure fire way to rekindle friendship is thru an ACNA event. There is no better place and no better way to experience the warmth and exuberance of APO members in North America than the ACNA Convention in New York. ACNA’s journey is our journey. From the East coast to the West coast, from way down South in Florida, all the way North to Canada, we experience the same passion and commitment that we shared thru the years. Although we cannot relive the past, we can add spark to the present and create fireworks for the future. The ACNA Convention in New York will be a testament of ACNA’s bright future. As they say in New York - - if we can make it here, we can make it anywhere. This is our place, this is our town, and this is our moment. Long live ACNA as its legacy continues!
Another two years has passed since our last Biennial Convention. It has been twentyfour years since we gathered to create what we have now, The Alumni Council of North America. In these Conventions, we gather together for a chance to appraise ourselves where we are, how we are, and where we are headed as we move on along. It is important that we make these assessment on a regular and consistent basis so that we may address issues and matters that are important to the organization and its members. By doing so, by being pro-active, by constantly raising our level of social-consciousness, we assure ourselves of our relevance to the realities of our communities we live in. We want to make sure that our respective Alumni Associations are relevant and responsive to the signs of the times. Moreover, these Conventions allow us to choose our leaders for the next two years. In fact, we become responsible and assure ourselves that our organization is and will be in good hands by electing visionary leaders who will lead us into the future. If we must earn the distinction as a highly respected organization, we must commit ourselves to work together, not for any other reason, but because we are true to ourselves and to each other. We live and hold dear the name Alpha Phi Omega for what it stands for. It becomes everyone’s responsibility to preserve our institution and to keep us all united! Continued on page 3